Written Answers Friday 16 January 2009

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, apart from during its Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol consultation, what discussions it has had with (a) police forces and (b) local authorities in relation to measures needed to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence and antisocial behaviour.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has regular discussions with police forces and local authorities concerning alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour and is working in partnership with them to tackle this problem effectively. In particular, the issue has been considered as part of the detailed discussions on the review of national anti-social behaviour policy, which will report to Parliament shortly. Meanwhile two direct examples of specific action we are taking to tackle this issue is the recently announced Safer Streets initiative, in which we provided £660,000 across all 32 local authorities to help them tackle alcohol related violence in our town and city centres over the festive period, and the national Violence Reduction Unit’s on-going anti-violence enforcement campaign, which delivers coordinated police action to target underage drinking and additional visits to licensed premises.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken research involving the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks where it is believed that they affect the racing pigeon population.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage are working in partnership with the Scottish Homing Union to assess whether capture and translocation of sparrowhawks would be a satisfactory solution to the problem of sparrowhawk predation on racing pigeons. The field work for the project will take place in the first three months of 2009. As far as is known, no other research on this potential solution has been carried out.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in relation to its policy on the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks, its only consideration is the impact that they are considered to have on the racing pigeon population in some areas.

Michael Russell: The project is aimed at helping Scottish Government officials assess whether trapping and translocation is a satisfactory solution to the problem of sparrowhawk predation on racing pigeons. In assessing this solution, regard will be given to the impact on sparrowhawks as well as the effectiveness of the technique in reducing predation.

Dangerous Dogs

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to commission research into existing dangerous dogs legislation.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government has no plans at present to commission any research into existing dangerous dogs legislation.

Disabled People

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to ensure that Careers Scotland and Scottish Enterprise are setting targets for supporting disabled people, particularly young disabled people, into work and training.

Fiona Hyslop: Helping all young people into education, employment and training is a top priority for the government and we have a specific indicator to that effect in the national performance framework. To support delivery of this, on 28 November 2008 we launched "16+ Learning Choices", which will be rolled out across Scotland by 2010. The new model will bring a particular focus to improving outcomes for young people who leave school at the earliest opportunity and for those who need additional support to make a successful transition.

  Support for people with disabilities is a matter for a number of agencies, including Skills Development Scotland, which comprises Careers Scotland, the Skills element of the Enterprise Networks and Learndirect Scotland. We have been working with Skills Development Scotland to ensure all equality issues are considered and reflected within their corporate plan, which is due for publication in April 2009.

Higher Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of discussions it has had with HM Treasury regarding its plans to service Scotland-domiciled and resident-graduate debt.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not been able to allocate the resources required to service Scotland-domiciled and resident-graduate debt and we have therefore held no discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer or other HM Treasury Ministers.

  The recently launched consultation paper on higher education student support: Supporting a Smarter Scotland seeks views on the principles of the methods we wish to explore to service debt should funds be made available in the future.

Lifelong Learning

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report to the Parliament on the progress of the Inspiring Scotland project.

Fiona Hyslop: Inspiring Scotland announced its first portfolio of supported organisations on 20 November last year. We continue to work with Inspiring Scotland to ensure the organisations it supports deliver in a manner that is fully aligned with our More Choices, More Chances strategy. Looking ahead, the Scottish Government will receive a twice yearly Investor Report from Inspiring Scotland. We expect the first such report in mid-2009. We shall make the Investor Reports available to the Parliament through the Scottish Parliament Reference Centre (Bib. number 47378).

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of prison cells accommodate two or more prisoners, broken down by prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is contained in the following table.

  

 Establishment
 Total cells as at 15 January 2009
 Cells with multiple occupants as at 15 January 2009
 Percentage of cells with more than one occupant as at 15 January 2009


 Aberdeen
 135
 80
 59%


 Addiewell
 700
 2
 0%


 Barlinnie
 992
 509
 51%


 Cornton Vale
 276
 116
 42%


 Dumfries
 136
 53
 39%


 Edinburgh
 714
 132
 18%


 Glenochil Prison
 530
 212
 40%


 Greenock
 251
 61
 24%


 Inverness
 83
 53
 64%


 Kilmarnock
 500
 139
 28%


 Open Estate
 298
 77
 26%


 Perth
 539
 215
 40%


 Peterhead
 306
 2
 1%


 Polmont
 719
 165
 23%


 Shotts
 537
 0
 0%

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive at what point in 2009 it expects the number of prisoners to reach a peak and what additional precautions it intends to take to ensure that safety and security are maintained.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Historically the peak level of the prison population is reached in August/September. The SPS takes whatever action is appropriate to ensure the safety and security of prison staff and the public.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure uniform access across Scotland to GP, hospital, housing and other services needed on release by offenders with severe and enduring mental illness.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) works closely with a range of partners to ensure effective support of all offenders being released including those with several enduring mental illness.

  The SPS published a response to the recent thematic inspection of care for people with mental health problems by HMCIP, the report can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/244161/0068214.pdf.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to Out of Sight: Severe and Enduring Mental Health Problems in Scotland’s Prisons.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The report Out of Sight: Severe and Enduring Mental Health Problems is Scotland’s Prisons is welcomed by the Scottish Prison Service. It is seen as a fair reflection of the current arrangements for managing prisoners suffering from severe and enduring mental health problems and the challenges posed by this group of prisoners.

  The SPS has accepted 19 out of the 20 recommendations and is currently developing its formal action plan for implementation. The SPS response to the recommendations is posted on the SPS website and can be accessed at the following web address:

  http://www.sps.gov.uk/default.aspx?documentid=625ef22e-8426-42a5-97a0-e8c6369b2423.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans the Scottish Prison Service has to ensure that all prisoners with a severe and enduring mental illness, problems with literacy or communication or learning difficulties have access to an advocate.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Since the implementation of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, the SPS has sought to put in place independent advocacy services for those who require it. SPS is developing a service that meets the needs of mentally disordered offenders in respect of independent advocacy and it is moving now to address the needs of other groups with special requirements, such as people with learning disability and difficulty. We have been working with a range of partner agencies and organisations to provide advocacy services.

Prison Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that prisoners with severe and enduring mental illness are transferred timeously to an appropriately secure hospital setting.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Appropriate arrangements, including monitoring, are in place to ensure that prisoners requiring transfer to hospital for assessment or treatment of a mental illness do so promptly.

  Such transfers are managed under Section 52 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 for unsentenced prisoners, and Section 136 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 for sentenced prisoners.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18896 by Kenny MacAskill on 9 January 2009, how many prisoners have attended the Alcohol Awareness Programme during their sentences in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The number of prisoners who completed the Alcohol Awareness programme in the last three years is as follows:

  2007-08 – 402 prisoners completed the programme

  2006-07 – 392 prisoners completed the programme

  2005-06 – 368 prisoners completed the programme.

School Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who has responsibility for the health and safety of primary school children travelling on non-council provided school buses to which members of the public have access.

Maureen Watt: Authorities have a general duty under the Schools (Safety and Supervision of Pupils) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 to take reasonable care for the safety of pupils when under their charge, including when travelling on school buses irrespective of whether members of the public have access. Aspects of passenger health and safety will also fall to the school bus operator.

School Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) general public services, (b) tendered dual purpose routes, (c) specific school purpose routes and (d) closed contracts are used to provide school transport to eligible pupils in the Highland Council area.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary age children in the Highland Council area travel on non-local authority provided school buses to which the public has access.

Maureen Watt: This information is not collected centrally.

School Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what policies or guidelines are in place in relation to the safe travel of primary school children on school transport, particularly where the public has access to buses.

Maureen Watt: The provision of school transport in Scotland is a local authority responsibility. In terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, authorities have a duty to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the provision of school transport and in so considering to have regard to the safety of pupils .  Authorities also have a general duty of care under the Schools (Safety and Supervision of Pupils) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 to take reasonable care for the safety of pupils when under their charge.

  Scottish Executive Education Department Circular (No.7 of 2003), a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 29135), offered extensive guidance on all aspects of school transport, as did the more recent School Transport: Survey of Good Practice booklet issued in March 2007 which is also available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45729).

School Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what health and safety responsibilities it considers that parents have for their children when they are travelling on local authority provided school transport.

Maureen Watt: Although parents will have a very close interest in all aspects of their children’s welfare, the formal responsibilities for pupils’ welfare when on local authority provided school transport falls to the local authority and to the transport operator. Accordingly, parents have a right to expect that suitable arrangements for a safe school transport system will be made by local authorities, taking account of local circumstances.

School Transport

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are given to parents on accompanying young children to school where the child is eligible for school transport to which the public also has access.

Maureen Watt: Most authorities regularly review and update guidance and information on a range of aspects of school transport, health and safety and usage which is issued to parents and pupils as appropriate.

Schools

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a contract for the construction of a replacement Portobello High School to be approved.

Maureen Watt: This is a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council.

Taxation

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the reduction in VAT announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November 2008 will save each police force between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: The reduction in VAT will have no impact on police forces. Police forces recover all VAT paid on goods and services under Section 33 of the VAT Act 1994.

Taxation

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the reduction in VAT announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November 2008 will save the Scottish Police Services Authority between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: The impact on the reduction in VAT will depend on the profile of non-staff expenditure throughout the period. Based on 2008-09 budgets, the estimated saving for the Scottish Police Services Authority between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009 will be £0.39 million.

Taxation

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the reduction in VAT announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November 2008 will save the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009.

Kenny MacAskill: The impact on the reduction in VAT will depend on the profile of non-staff expenditure throughout the period. Based on 2008-09 budgets, the estimated saving for the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009 will be £0.07 million.